Senators drop 4-1 decision to Bruins to close out homestand

Trying to extend their winning streak to four straight games, the Senators were their own worst enemies in a 4-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in front of 15,265 at Canadian Tire Centre.

The Senators were left licking their wounds after this latest loss to the Bruins as David Pastrnak had two goals and two assists, while Patrice Bergeron (three points), David Krejci (two points) and Brad Marchand (one assist) also chipped in.

Only Thomas Chabot was able to beat Tuukka Rask on the 39 shots he faced as the Bruins collected their second straight win over the Senators this season. Ottawa goalie Craig Anderson didn’t get much help as his team closed out its five-game homestand with a 3-2 record.

Senators winger Ryan Dzingel fires just wide of Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask in the third period of Tuesday’s game.Sean Kilpatrick /
THE CANADIAN PRESS

The Senators talked about shutting down Bergeron, Pastrnak and Marchand, but didn’t. That trio now has 19 points in two games against Ottawa. They piled up 11 in a 6-3 win in Boston on Oct. 8.

“It was more of a battle of the special teams and they were better tonight,” Senators centre Zack Smith said. “We kind of felt out of at the end when they had a three-goal lead, but, up until then, we felt like we were in it and we were still creating chances.

“I thought we had a lot of momentum.”

Unlike the first matchup of the season, the Senators actually gave themselves a chance in this one for 38 minutes, but from then on it turned ugly. Pastrnak scored his second goal of the game at 5:31 of the third period to give the Bruins a 4-1 lead and that was pretty much it.

Senators goaltender Craig Anderson pulls the puck off the goal-line before Bruins forward Patrice Bergeron can knock it in during the first period.Sean Kilpatrick /
THE CANADIAN PRESS

It’s the oldest cliché in the National Hockey League book, but dumb penalties don’t help. A holding penalty and a too many men on the ice penalty late in the second proved costly. The Bruins scored twice on the power play in a span of 71 seconds for a 3-1 lead by early in the third period.

Bergeron scored on the power play only 20 seconds into the final frame, extending Boston’s lead to two goals. Earlier, Krecji scored on a 5-on-3 at 19:09 of the second.

“That’s where the game was played,” Senators head coach Guy Boucher said. “I thought we had a terrific second period. We were fast, we were charging and we were attacking hard.

“We couldn’t get that second power-play goal. They got that 5-on-3 and then they score again to start the (third) period … those are tough to deal with for sure.”

Until then, this looked like a battle between two Atlantic Division rivals.

With the Senators on the power play, Chabot one-timed a pass from Bobby Ryan by Rask from the point to get Ottawa on the board, tying the score 1-1 in the second period. Until then it had looked as if the Senators wouldn’t get anything by Rask.

The pace of the first was frantic as the Bruins pulled out to a 1-0 lead. Both teams used speed to create scoring chances.

The Bruins struck first. Pastrnak scored from the top of the slot at 11:17. That scoring chance was the result of a turnover in the Ottawa zone and it was possible that Anderson lost sight of the puck.

“Special teams is a big part of the game and we’ve got to clean those up going forward,” said Anderson, who faced 32 shots. “I thought (5-on-5) we were pretty good. We were definitely taking away their time and space. It’s a game of momentum and we’ve just got to manage our momentum a little bit better.”

BOROWIECKI IN TROUBLE?

If the loss wasn’t bad enough, there could be repercussions for a first-period incident involving Senators defenceman Mark Borowiecki.

A day after complaining about a hit by the Montreal Canadiens’ Brendan Gallagher in a game on Saturday, Borowiecki elbowed Bruins defenceman Urho Vaakanainen in the face. The Boston player left after the period and did not returned because of a reported concussion.

Cassidy learned a lot while playing for legendary Ottawa 67’s general manager and head coach Brian Kilrea.

And, yes, Cassidy employs some of his methods.

“I liked the puck-movement part of the game, and he was breakout focused,” Cassidy said Tuesday’s game. “That’s one of the first things I always look at as a coach and I talked to (assistant) Kevin (Dean) about that because I’m a big believer in that getting out of your end.

“I like the attack part of it, the skating in practice and those are probably the biggest influences.”

Cassidy, 53, was born in Ottawa and played for Kilrea for two seasons with the 67’s.

“You found out his bark was way worse than his bite and I think the young players here have found that out about me,” Cassidy said. “I’m vocal, but, when it’s over, I can go talk to them and I do.

“We’ve had players here last year, who get barked at one night, and the next day they’d be having breakfast and I’d joke with them about something and I think it threw them off. They’d be like, ‘Who is this guy?’ and I think Killer was a bit like that (as a coach).

“He was in a pretty good mood at the rink and I liked that about Killer because we enjoyed coming to practice. I think our players generally enjoy coming to practice because he made it enjoyable in a lot of ways.”

Another coach Cassidy has a lot of respect for is former Kings bench boss Darryl Sutter, who stressed the defensive part of the game.

“He was anti-side of the puck from Killer,” Cassidy said. “Darryl was all about defence, and, when I played him, he’d be on me all the time and I was an offensive guy, but I learned without details and defence. I learned a lot from Darryl.

“He was crusty, too, behind the bench. Mike Keenan, as well. I didn’t play long for Mike, but I loved his pace in practice and his drills.”

The Bruinsâ Anders Bjork (10), pushes Senators centre Chris Tierney off the puck during the first period.âSean Kilpatrick/THE CANADIAN PRESS

OFF THE GLASS

The Senators had hoped to have defenceman Cody Ceci back from an upper body injury, but he wasn’t quite ready to return against the Bruins. They don’t play again until Friday, though, so that will give Ceci, who hasn’t had any real contact in practice, a couple of days to skate before the Senators fly to Denver on Thursday to start a three-game road swing. Christian Jaros, called up from the Belleville Senators of the American Hockey League, was in the lineup Tuesday. With Ben Harpur, who left Monday’s skate early, sidelined with an unspecified ailment, Boucher dressed 12 forwards and six defenceman. The Senators had dressed 11 forwards and seven defencemen for the previous three games … There has been complaints about protection with the new streamlined equipment for goalies, but the Senators’ Anderson said he didn’t have many concerns. “The arms hurt a little bit at first, but we’ve figured out some of the soft areas and we’ve been able to adjust,” Anderson said. “I’ve been using it for six weeks and the first couple of weeks were trial and error because you’re not always going to get hit in the soft spot the first day. It might take a month before you get hit in the soft spot. We’ve figured out all the soft spots and we’ve been able to do what we need to make it so they don’t hurt.” Anderson has been working with former NHL goalie Kay Whitmore, who works in the league’s head office, and Senators equipment staff to make the proper adjustments.

Senators centre Matt Duchene said he liked the challenge of facing Bergeron. “He’s going to go down as one of the best two-way centres that has ever played in this league,” Duchene said. “It’s a big challenge to play against him offensively and defensively. Playing against him forces you to be a better player, too. I enjoy the challenge. You don’t look forward to it per se, but you enjoy the competitiveness of it. That line is very strong.” … Anderson started his fifth consecutive game Tuesday. Expect to see backup Mike Condon in net during the upcoming road trip. Boucher indicated Condon had been nursing a minor injury … The Senators didn’t register their first shot on net until 5:15 of the first period … Big Bruins captain Zdeno Chara circled the whole Ottawa zone in the second period, but wasn’t able to get a shot off. He looked pretty good, though.

Bruins winger David Pastrnak, top, celebrates a goal with Brad Marchand (63) and Patrice Bergeron in the third period of Tuesday’s game against the Senators..Sean Kilpatrick /
THE CANADIAN PRESS

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED

1) GO STRENGTH ON STRENGTH

Senators head coach Guy Boucher wanted to play a match game against the Bruins’ big line with Zack Smith, Magnus Paajarvi and Tom Pyatt. They tried it (for the most part), but it didn’t exactly work.

2) BRUINS ARE TOUGH COMPANY

If the Senators are going to make the Stanley Cup playoffs, they’re going to have to find a way to beat the Bruins. Boston has six straight wins over the Senators going back to last season.

3) HIT SOMEBODY THEN FIGHT

Ottawa’s Zack Smith finished a check on Boston’s Matt Grzelcyk with 4:45 left in the second period and was then forced to drop the gloves. Brad Marchand challenged Smith along the boards.

4) FORCED TO MAKE CHANGES

Guy Boucher isn’t a big fan of changing a winning lineup. He would have stuck with 11 forwards and seven defencemen, but had no choice with Cody Ceci and Ben Harpur on the injured list.

5) TOUGH LUCK FOR BOBBY

Senators winger Bobby Ryan had a great chance on a first-period power play when the puck squeezed behind Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask and headed for the net, but Brandon Carlo swept it away just before it crossed the line.

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